A general purpose quality system plan defines specific policies, key personnel, inspection and acceptance processes and a summary of work operations that apply to a product, service, project or contract. The general purpose quality system plan briefly describes what the Company will do on the job but not how it will do things.
Quality Assurance Plans: General, Starter, Comprehensive, Complete, Enhanced
Definitions:
A quality manual is a top level Company document that refers to supporting procedures and forms that explain how things are done to manage business operations and products or services.
A quality system is a strategic program adopted by a Company to define the organizational structure, procedures, processes and resources needed to consistently provide products and services that meet Customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements and to enhance Customer satisfaction through the effective application of the system.
Now-a-days, a family of documents is used to establish the policies and procedures for a management system. This is a true blessing over the old method of stuffing all procedures and forms into one document. The FAA is an example of an “old-traditional” industry whose Suppliers have quality manuals over 200 pages but the FAA is also moving forward to modernize its requirements.
Our goal is to provide business solutions that are lean, inexpensive, effective, efficient and as practical as possible for any sized business to complete urgent and planned business objectives.
At-PQC™ enables you to make an informed decision for your Company’s quality improvement project because you can evaluate content in your new management program before making a decision to buy our products and services.
We combine paperless document control and efficient quality management system software with your choice of any of our paper-based quality assurance plans to substantially simplify the implementation and maintenance of your do it yourself quality control system. This means your Company will truly be as up to date as possible using state of the art technology in the 21st century.
Click here for discussion on the subject of general purpose quality system plans on this page.
Click on demo links below to evaluate the contents of the kits, which you can use in your business operation according to license terms and conditions.
General Purpose Quality System Plan – ISO 10005, $47
The ISO 10005 general purpose quality system plan helps define practices, resources and activities that are applicable to any project. The quality plan is a standalone document. Use references to procedures as placeholders for your Company’s existing procedures.
Need more than a standalone manual. Consider the complete kit that includes all referenced docs.
Next is the Starter plan.
Starter Plan, $77
The general purpose quality system plan summarizes the Company’s best practices. Add specific work details then deliver the tailored plan to your Customer with contract proposal or after receipt of contract to briefly describe the plan for the project. The starter kit is just enough quality to satisfy most projects but does not contain all referenced procedures and forms.
Change the name of the project on the cover page and change the details in the last chapter to use the general purpose quality system plan as a template for other programs.
The starter general purpose quality system plan kit contains all documents listed below:
- Quality Plan
- Inspection Plan Form
- Nonconformance Report Form
- Quality Control Report
Next is the Comprehensive plan.
Comprehensive Plan, $97
The comprehensive general purpose quality system plan kit emphasizes documentation of nonconformances and associated corrective actions but does not contain all referenced procedures and forms.
The comprehensive general purpose quality system plan kit contains all documents listed below:
- Quality Plan
- Control of Nonconformances Procedure
- Corrective Action Request Form
- Corrective and Preventive Action Procedure
- Inspection Plan Form
- Nonconformance Report Form
Next is the Complete plan.
Complete Plan, $127
The complete general purpose quality system plan kit contains all documents listed below:
- Quality Plan
- Bulletin Form for configuration control
- Calculated Risk Release Form for controlling a temporary waiver or deviation from requirements
- Configuration Management Procedure for engineering controlled documents
- Control of Nonconformances Procedure
- Corrective Action Request Form
- Corrective and Preventive Action Procedure
- Document Control Procedure
- Engineering Order Form
- Inspection Plan Form
- Nonconformance Report Form
- Records Control Procedure
Next is the Enhanced program.
Enhanced Program, $157
The enhanced general purpose quality system plan is very useful when your Company’s existing management system needs just a little more to make your Customers happy. Many 21st century Customers want more quality from their Suppliers but don’t want to scare them off with ISO 9001. Most Suppliers don’t want the burden and cost of ISO 9001 so they negotiate with their Customers. Has your Company been asked for more quality? Has your Customer asked for your purchasing procedure or nonconformance procedure? We know that many of our Customers still don’t want anything to do with ISO 9001 but their Customers are pushing the envelope.
The enhanced general purpose quality system plan kit contains all documents listed below:
- Quality Plan
- Bulletin (on demand change control)
- Calculated Risk Release Form
- Configuration Management Procedure
- Control of Nonconformances Procedure
- Corrective Action Request Form
- Corrective and Preventive Action Procedure
- Document Control Procedure
- Engineering Order Form
- Inspection Plan Template
- Nonconformance Report Form
- Production Procedure
- Purchasing Procedure
- Receiving Procedure
- Records Control Procedure
- Request for Change Form
- Shipping Procedure
- Supplier Evaluation Form
- Training Program
- Validation – Verification Form
- Work Instruction Template
Discussion on the subject of general purpose quality system plans.
We believe our Customers…
- …don’t need to hire a Consultant to achieve compliance with demanding requirements.
- …are well supported when they use our no-charge / no-expiration expert coaching by phone and email to facilitate improvements in the business operation.
- …actually celebrate when they find us and most wish they found us sooner in their project.
- …when they tell us that we were there for them just-in-time to help solve their urgent problems.
We provide valuable tools and support for businesses that need simple and comprehensive solutions for demanding requirements.
What does your Customer mean when they ask for a quality plan or program? We understand it is difficult to know what a Customer means without asking for their definition of “quality plan”.
Here’s a few definitions to consider:
Definition #1: Quality Plan
Brief overview of policies, inspections and work that will be performed for a project. Tailor the program for each project by recording the contract number and project name on the cover page then describe work details in the last chapter – rinse and repeat for every project.
Definition #2: Quality Manual
The Company’s documented commitment to quality with references to procedures for the systematic attainment of objectives, including the use of documented requirements for accomplishing work. The manual does not need to be tailored for each project because it applies to all projects and Customers.
Definition #3: Quality System
Family of documents that includes a manual, procedures, work instructions and forms. The family of documents define the policies, procedures and records used to control business operations that affect products and services.
Typical Comprehensive General Purpose Quality System Plan: (hopefully, your Customer imposes fewer requirements)
- Define organizational and administrative interfaces between the Company and the Customer.
- Describe methods for documenting, tracking and resolving Open Items (e.g. nonconformances, survey findings)
- Describe methods for records control during the project and long-term records retention and retrieval after the project.
- Describe the process that confirms work has been completed and nonconforming items have been dispositioned by authorized personnel.
- Describe the process that ensures approval and release of drawings and other control documents.
- Describe the process that ensures project changes flow to control documents and project personnel.
- Describe the software quality assurance plan for the project, when applicable.
- Establish a commitment to systematically manage quality requirements and activities.
- Identify all parties and locations where work on the project will be carried out, including suppliers of major components and systems.
- Identify the functions and positions within the Company and the project organization that is responsible for verifying compliance with contract requirements. For each person on the roster, submit a record showing each individual’s experience, qualification and training in the appropriate field.
- Include a list or lists of administrative procedures for implementing the Program, whether the procedures are Company-wide or Customer-specific.
- Periodically update the plan to reflect current contract conditions until the end of the project.
Typical Manager Questions and thoughts after a Customer requests a quality manual:
- …they’re asking for a quality manual? Does that mean “quality system” or “quality manual” or “quality plan”?
- …we’ve never needed more than our boilerplate proposal sheet to bid on a job!
- …how do we do this without adding more overhead?
General purpose quality system plans are low cost and can be used as a template for each project. The general purpose quality system plan helps to delay implementation of a burdensome quality management system. The plan is a multiple application document for use as a manual, program and/or plan that applies to traditional business operations when a certified quality system is not mandatory.
Example of a general purpose quality system plan: QCP-001
Mitigation of Risks
Our Customers are experiencing a trend where their Customers are focusing on mitigation of risks.
The logic is, if a Contractor or Supplier does not have a documented quality program, manual or plan, they must not be mature enough for the job or have the resources to perform the work. We are hopeful your Company hasn’t been surprised by new or unexpected Customer or industry compliance requirements.
Just Enough Quality to point things in the right direction is sometimes all that is needed with the right people.
With the right quality manual or plan, the responsible authority(s) in your business can quickly solve unexpected compliance requirements.
Some Customers request their Contractors or Suppliers to send them a quality program. Other Customers request a plan but mean they want a copy of the Company’s manual that describes the management system. Hopefully, your Customer means they want you to send them a 5 or 6 page general purpose quality system plan that includes work details and a summary of your Company’s best practices.